A family reunion will be held for all descendants, relatives and friends of Hiram Longmire (bap 1814, Notts County, England, d Kadina South Australia1880) at Lochiel, South Australia on the weekend of 26-27 October 2013.

The reunion is dovetailed in with the 150th birthday party of the Lochiel Hotel, which Hiram founded in 1863. Back then it was built out in the Australian bush overlooking Lake Bumbunga, a salt lake, at the crossroads of important N-S and E-W routes.. In those days the roads were bush tracks. Clientele of the inn included explorers, surveyors, teamsters, miners, seamstresses, lonely wives, shepherds, families heading further out, adventurers, coachmen, horse thieves and bushrangers.

As well Hiram's 200th birthday will be celebrated at the special lunch to be held at Lochiel Community Hall 11am-4pm on Sunday 27 October 2013. For more details of the weekend simply email hiramlongmire@gmailcom and obtain an automated reply. If emailing for information only and not planning to attend please advise in your email.

Hiram grew up near Nottingham and was a lacemaker by profession. He moved to Calais, France in the 1840s with wife Ann (nee Whildon) and children to continue making lace there. In 1848 they emigrated to South Australia, arriving on the barque, the Harpley, at Port Adelaide. After settling in to the new colony of South Australia Hiram and family established the inn/hotel known variously as the Travellers' Rest or Travellers' Home later to become known as the Lakeview Hotel.

This Lakeview Hotel today stands sturdily and is trading and all associated with the hotel, past and current identities, are invited to the special weekend. A tribute to all publicans, past and present, will include a black tie dinner on the night of 25 October 2013 at the hotel. An honour roll of all publicans is being compiled.

Jim Longmire, gggs of Hiram Longmire.